Top Online Poker Sites New Zealand

When it comes to playing at an online casino, online poker is one of the top classic games that just about everyone in New Zealand wants to get in on. The rules are easy to learn, it is a fun game, you can win real cash easily and online poker has some distinct advantages over playing poker in person.

We have put together your comprehensive guide to playing poker at any online casino. In this guide, you will find the rules for game play, beginners strategies and tips, and why our list of the top poker sites is the best place for you to find the perfect room for you to play in at any level. You'll enjoy online poker if you're looking for a game that is:

How to Play Online Poker

When playing poker take care to choose a site with plenty of players, and hopefully many new players.

To play online poker in New Zealand, you need to have a basic understanding of the game. The rules are the same in person as they are in any casino online. Online poker requires at least 2 players, a virtual deck of cards and virtual poker chips.

Poker has 2 different basic types of game play: Stud and Draw. The rules are almost identical, but there are some key differences. In most online casinos, online poker can be played either Stud or Draw so it is good to know the rules for both.

In stud poker, you will be dealt 5 or 7 cards to a hand. Then, you decide how strong your hand is and bet real cash according to how well you think your hand will do compared to the other players. Whoever bids the most real money is always going to win, unless someone else at the table matches their bet. If that happens, the remaining players show their cards and compare hands. In that case, the highest-ranking hand wins.

In draw poker, you are dealt the same number of cards. Initially, you need to bet on the hand you were drawn. After the first round of betting, players are allowed to improve their hands by turning in cards and drawing new ones. You can trade as many as three cards in a round. The exception to this is if a player has an Ace, in which case he can trade all 4 of his other cards. There is a disadvantage to this though, because it lets all of the other players know that you are holding an Ace.

Now comes the fun part, betting. There are 4 different options available to NZ players in any casino online. Online poker players have these choices:

Raise: If you think you have the top hand, or if you want to fool the other players into thinking this, you can "raise," or increase the bet

Fold: If you aren't confident in your hand, or don't have enough real cash chips to bet, you can fold. This takes you out of the round, and you lose any chips that you bet up to that point.

Call: This means that you don't raise the stakes, and you don't exit the round, but you bet the same amount as the current highest bet.

Check: If no one at the table has raised the wager that is required to continue, you can stand pat by passing on your turn to bet.

These same rules apply to every poker game out there. In any NZ online casino, online poker tables are played by basically the same rules. Now we can get into the different hands you can build, and what the top scoring hands are. This hierarchy is the same for every single game of online poker out there.

Each card has its own value, with Aces being the most valuable card in the deck. After that, "Face" cards are the top scorers, descending from King to Queen to Jack. Then, it continues down in descending order from 10 to 1.

Here are the different hands you can play, in order from highest value to lowest:

Royal Flush: 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace (all in the same suit)

Straight Flush: 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King (all in the same suit)

Four of a Kind: 4 cards of equal number, with all of the different suits

Full House: three of a kind and a pair in the same hand

Flush: All 5 cards in a hand are of the same suit

Straight: Any running sequence of cards, for example 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen. If two players have Straights, the one with the highest card wins.

Three of a Kind: Three cards that have the same suit

Two Pairs: Two pairs of cards with matching numbers. For example, 10, 10, 8, 8, 9. If two players have this hand, the highest pair wins.

One Pair: Two of any of the same card. For example, 10, 10, 9, 7, Queen

High Card: If you can't make any combination, your hand is valued at the highest single card. If two players have the same high card, then the second highest card breaks the tie.

Types of Online Poker

It’s vital to learn poker hand rank before getting started with any variation.

In addition to draw and stud, there are tons of different variations available in any online casino. New Zealand online poker players can choose from many types of poker, including Pai-Gow, Texas Hold’em, Omaha High and Video Poker.

5 Card Draw

Triple Draw

Razz

Pineapple

Seven Card Stud

Omaha High

Omaha/8

Texas Hold'em

Beginner Tips and Strategies

Even the best poker players have to start somewhere, and our list of the top tips for beginners in New Zealand can send you straight on to winning real money. Here are some of the best pieces of advice for new players:

Start by playing low-stakes games. When you are just starting out, it is not wise to put yourself in the middle of a medium or high stakes game. In low stakes rooms, you can still win real cash, but you will be playing against opponents at an equal or similar skill level to your own.

You have a much better chance of winning while you learn the intricacies of the game than you would playing against a table of high rollers. Not only that, you can build up your bankroll slowly without much risk of losing it all.

Familiarise yourself with the unique aspects of playing in an online casino's online poker table Playing online has some very unique differences to playing in person.

For example, there is a feature called time-bank. This means you only have a set amount of time to act, so the pressure is higher than if you were playing in a live casino. It takes some getting used to, but it is an advantage in the end because you don't have to wait as long for other players either. This means you can play more games in the same amount of time, increasing your chances to win.

You should also take the time to familiarize yourself with the layout of each online casino. New Zealand online poker rooms general will have similar layouts, but if you are very familiar with each one before playing, you will have an advantage.

Play a single table at first. All gambling is more fast paced when you play at an online casino. Online poker is no exception. When you see how many hands you can play in a short period of time, it can be tempting to start right in on multi-table playing. This is not the best idea for beginners.

You need to focus on getting to know all of the top technical aspects of the game before jumping into a highly pressurised environment like multi-tabling. Once you feel extremely confident in a single table, you can start adding on one table at a time. Otherwise, you might get frustrated or burnt out.

Don't let yourself become distracted while playing. It is so convenient these days to gamble anywhere at online casinos. Online poker players can start a game from their smartphone, laptop, or tablet almost anywhere. This really isn't a top-level strategy for winning, though. You want to create a distraction-free zone when you get into a game.

This means do not watch TV, talk to friends, or surf the web between hands. Don't play in public where people will be walking around, making noise and trying to talk to you. You could end up playing a bad hand, or worse yet, missing out on important information and learning opportunities. If you want to increase your skill to become a top of the line poker player, you need to focus on the game.

Update your hardware. This is another way to create a great environment for yourself to play at the best online casinos. Online poker can take up a lot of space on your computer if you really get into it, so make sure your machine is up to the job. If not, you may end up playing a lot slower than you would otherwise.

Also, create a good work environment for yourself with a desk and chair that fit your body. These small changes can have a big effect on ho you play the game, and can make you have a more professional attitude towards it.

There our have it, all the information you need to become a top level online poker player. We hope that you will take this knowledge along with you when you start playing at any casino online. Online poker is one of the best games out there for New Zealanders to play, and if you follow these strategies you are sure to start winning real money! Check out our list of the top online casinos in NZ where you can start winning today!

When playing online poker you’ll see that Texas Hold’em is the most popular followed by Omaha and 7-Card Stud and 5-Card Draw. Each type is played at many online casinos, but Hold’em is the easiest of all to find online today.

Online poker is nearly identical to live poker. The major difference is that you aren’t sitting face to face with the other players and the deal is handled by the software. Games are slightly faster and slightly easier to follow, but they are very similar.